The ongoing investigative articles published by AmaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism, Swazi Secrets in collaboration with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists(ICIJ) suggest that, this country is indeed, a mafia State.
Documents in possession of the international journalists sourced from the Eswatini Financial Intelligence Unit(EFIU) proves beyond any reasonable doubt that, those next to the King have been looting public resources in this country with impunity.
But instead of arresting the individuals implicated as per the leaked documents, Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, an alleged corrupt thief who failed to account for about R180million public and donated COVID-19 funds threatened to conduct an investigation with an intention of apprehending the sources who leaked the documents to the media.
Worth-noting, on the World Press Freedom Day, PM Russell Mmiso Dlamini urged the media to fight corruption, perhaps he had forgotten that he previously said, he will deal with those who leaked corruption documents to the media.
Politics is interesting sometimes because Russell made a statement thinking we have forgotten what he said the previous week, he threatened to regulate the media and apprehend sources who leaked documents but soon thereafter, he urged the media to fight corruption.
This cannot be described as a contradiction but, Russell Dlamini was just exposing his political stupidity,he literally hates the media with passion because as an alleged political criminal, he is afraid to be exposed.
It is for these reasons some of us will continue to accuse the State that the arrest of former Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Sandile Dlamini was not only politically motivated but, an attempt by the Prime Minister Russell Dlamini administration, of course in collaboration with other political syndicates, to be seen fighting corruption.
In this country,we have serious powerful and politically connected alleged criminals, who looted billions particularly within the Ministry of Health where hundreds of emaSwati are dying amid shortage of drugs.
But the Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC) was ordered to target Sandile Dlamini accusing him of taking a mere one hundred thousand Rands(R100,000.00) bribe, these allegations are yet to be tested in court.
I remember, we were once accused of defending Sandile Dlamini,the truth is; regardless of the victim, the independent media is here to guard against abuse of power.
Indeed if Sandile Dlamini is wrongly accused, persecuted and made a scapegoat,we will expose that because we understand the cruelty of this regime once he faces public pressure to be seen fighting corruption.
I have friends within the Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC) and I know the files involving corruption worth millions that were sabotaged by those in power, we haven’t received any explanation why SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff who allegedly looted over R1billion resulting to the shortage of drugs is not arrested.
We demand the arrest of the politically connected criminals who looted public funds meant to purchase drugs in public hospitals.
Russell Dlamini is another alleged criminal who think he can just fool us, unlike him, we are not new in politics and we don’t have a short memory, to us he is,and will remain a political novice.
We have been working as journalists for close to twenty(20) years now and we have seen Prime Ministers and other politicians come and go, we know the game of Tinkhundla politics.
This week, AmaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism exposed former Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku and Bishop Bheki Lukhele of All Nations in over R200million corruption and money-laundering allegations but, these powerful individuals won’t be arrested.
Instead,Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini is investigating the identity of those who leaked the documents
Arresting Sandile Dlamini and making him a scapegoat by publishing his picture in the front page of the captured media won’t derail us from demanding accountability, we demand high profile arrests.
The Government must also act and enforce anti corruption laws as the international journalists continue to expose what is contained in the financial intelligence documents.
Ex-FSRA CEO Sandile Dlamini.